Method and apparatus for flanging metallic and asphaltic sheet materials



Feb. 19, 1957 G. BECKMAN ETAL 2,731,318

' METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FLANGING mmnuc AND ASPHALTIC SHEET MATERIALS4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 2, 1953 4 70. 5227 Zak/Q Feb. 19, 1957 G.BECKMAN EI'AL 2,781,818

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FLANGING METALLIC AND ASPHALTIC SHEET MATERIALSFiled Jan. 2, 1953 {Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 19, 1957 G. BECKMAN mm 2,

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FLANGING METALLIC AND ASPHALTIC SHEET MATERIALSFiled Jan. 2', 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 ear aka/@774. L70 1 r!" .Feb. 19,1957 G. BECKMAN E'lAL 2,781,818 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FLANGINGMETALLIC AND ASPHALTIC SHEET MATERIALS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 2,1953 United States Patent Ofliice Patented Feb. 19, 1957 METHOD ANDAPPARATUS FOR FLANGING ME- TALLIC AND ASPHALTIC SHEET MATERIALS GeorgeBeckman, Lowell, Ind., and John Robert, Chicago, lll., assignors toAbbott Coburn, Chicago, Ill.

Application January 2, 1953, Serial No. 329,356

Claims. (Cl. 1s4-1.s

This invention relates to a' method of and apparatus for formingcomposite sheets or rolls of flexible metallic and asphaltic materialsas well as to the product resulting therefrom, although certain featuresthereof may be used with equal advantage for other purposes.

It contemplates more especially an improved continuous method andapparatus'for forming laminating sheets or rolls from metallic andasphaltic materials to provide an improved building material forroofing, siding, insulating and other structural purposes.

It is generally known that thin sheets of bright metallic materials suchas aluminum have a high thermally reflective characteristic, but thatsuch materials do not resist conduction or transmission of heat or'cold,so that the combination of thin metallic sheets such' as aluminum with asheet material that has insulating properties, and resists conduction aswell as transmission of heat or cold, constitutes a desirablecombination for roof sheeting, building siding and underflooring wherethere are no basements and moisture-laden cold air has ready access.Furthermore, metallic sheeting, such as aluminum, even in a very thingage, possesses the desired tensile strength and the thermallyreflective properties which combine with the insulating properties ofasphaltic sheet materials, such as saturated roofing felt, to giveprotective body thereto and resist the thermal transmission andconduction of heat and cold. The lamination of such sheets of materialin the continuity of production operations is comparatively difficultbecause of the substantial differences in their tensile strength,coefficient of expansion and contraction and their'respectiveresistances to bending and deformation. I

Resort to an adhesive alone to retain these diiferent sheets inlaminated association is not considered entirely satisfactory, so thatthe problem has been solved by hanging the metallic sheet around theasphaltic material so that a permanently tacky adhesive can be utilizedto preclude the creasing or rupture of the highly flexible sheetingmaterials. To accomplish the laminationof such Another object is toprovide an improved method of adhesively joining thin metallic sheetmaterial with asphaltic sheets to form a composite building material forroofing, building siding, and other structural purposes. Still anotherobject is to provide an improved apparatus for continuouslyprocessing'metallic and asphaltic sheets into a laminated buildingmaterial possessing better qualities than each provides independently.

'A further object is to provide an improve-d laminated composite sheetof thin metallic material, such as aluminorm, and asphaltic materialsuch as saturated felt, joined by permanently tacky adhesive and havinga protective flanged edge or edges.

' A still further object is .to provide an improved appa- Figure l is afront view in elevation of an aligning Hanging device embodying featuresof the present invention. 7

Figure 2 is a rear view in elevation of the device shown in Figure l. V

Figure 3 is a plan view of the sheets of material that are being broughttogether and flanged relative to each other as they are linearlydisplaced through the selfaligning and flanging or edging device shownin Figures 1 and 2. f

Figure 4 is a side view in elevation of the hanging or edging deviceshown in Figures 1 and 2. g

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view in elevation of the componentsheets shown in spaced relation just prior to their adhesion andfiangingpreparatory to eaten ing the edging device shown in Figures 1, 2and 4.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view in elevation of the compositesheets after they have passed through the edging device shown in Figures1, 2 and 4.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary rear plan View of the laminated sheets shownin Figure ,6 after having passed through the edging or flanging device.

Figure 8 is a sectional view in elevation taken substantially along lineViH-Vili of Figure l.

Figure 9 is a sectional view in elevation taken substantially along lineIX-iX of Figure i.

Figure 10 is a sectional view-in elevation taken substantially alongline X'X of Figure l. v s V Figure 11 is a sectional view in elevationtaken an stantially along line XleXI of Figure 1.

metallic and asphaltic sheets into a composite building material.

The structure selected for illustration is not intended to serve as alimitation upon the scope or teachings of the invention, but is merelyillustrative thereof. There may be considerable variations andadaptations of all or part of the teachings depending upon the dictatesof commercial practice.

The method is exemplified by a description of the structure andfunctional features possessed by the resulting product. The presentembodiment comprises an unwinding stand which carries a full roll ofsaturated felt 11 (Figure of the type commonly used as roofing paper.The roofing paper is saturated with asphaltic material to render suchimpervious to moisture and to impart a body thereto without eliminatingthe flexible character of the coarse paper. The saturated felt may be ofany desired weight and in practice may vary from what is normally termedten pound to thirty pound felt, depending upon the dictates ofcommercial practice.

The roll of felt 11 is threaded through a pair of pull rolls 12-13 whichare journalled on their hubs for support in verticallyaligned relationon the frame structure (not shown) of a processing machine that is ofany suitable or standard construction, insofar as providing verticallyaligned and intergeared rollers 12-13 which are driven at apre-determined rate of speed for synchronized operation with otherrollers in a manner to be hereinafter described. The pull rolls 12-13are driven at a rate of speed to provide a loop 14 forwardly thereof forsupport on a spaced stationary roll or pipe 15 having flanged edges 16to guide the loop 14 of the sheet material 11 thereover. To this end,the stationary flange roller or pipe 15 is spaced forwardly and somewhatupwardly relative to the vertically aligned pull rollers 12-13.

Positioned forwardly of the stationary flange roller 15 is a verticallyspaced pair of flanged guides 17-18, which are horizontally spaced toprovide confronting pairs to receive the edges of the sheet material 11as it is threaded therethrough for guidance to and over the topcylindrical surface of an adhesive applicator roller 19. The adhesiveapplicator roller 19 is journalled in the frame of the machine (notshown) so that the lower portion thereof is disposed in a trough orvessel 20. The trough or vessel 20 contains adhesive in order to providea thin uniform layer over the cylindrical surface of the roller 19 as itis power rotated with or against the linear movement of the sheet 11thereof. The speed of the roller 19 is adjusted to the travel or linearmovement of the sheet 11 thereover, and its direction of rotation may bein unison with or against the travel of the sheet 11 depending on thedesired adhesive film thickness. The relative speed between the powerdriven roller 19 and the linear travel of the sheet 11 may be increasedor de-' creased depending on the dictates of commercial practice. Theadhesive in the trough or vessel 20 is preferably of the permanentlytacky type such as asphaltic coating glue, plastic adhesive or the like,depending upon the dictates of commercial practice. Disposed forwardlyand above the trough or vessel 20 is a stationary scraper 21, which isadjustably supported for contact with the underside of the sheet 11 asit passes beyond the adhesive applicator roller 19 to insure a uniformlayer of adhesive of any desired thickness.

From the scraper 21, the sheet 11 is threaded over the lowermost roller22 for contact with the peripheral surface thereof to comprise one ofthe rollers of a three stack roller unit 23. Another roller 24 of thethree stack unit 23 is disposed above and at vertical alignment with theroller 22, so that the sheet 11 can be re-threaded over, the latter andbelow the upper roller 24 to effect contact with the nip of the rollers22-23 and to meet the thin sheet, such as aluminum, 25 that is threadedfrom an unwinding stand 26 which supports a roll of thin metallic sheetmaterial 27, preferably though not essentially aluminum foilsheets of.020 to .040. The thickness is not critical and will vary within a widerange depending upon the uses and dictates of commercial practice. Thealuminum sheet 25 is threaded over the uppermost roller 28 of the threestack roller unit 23, but in this instance the uppermost roller 28 isvertically spaced from the roller 24 so that the aluminum sheet 25 maybe threaded over the uppermost roller 28 and around the roller 24 forpassage between it and its contacting lowermost roller 22 fordisposition over and in contact with the asphaltic sheet 11, so thatboth sheets 11-25 can be displaced horizontally and backwardly over aplurality of supporting idler rollers 29-30-31-32, which may vary innumber and in spacing to meet the particular requirements of any machineor installation.

It is to be noted that the aluminum sheet 25 is appreciably wider thanthe vertical sheet 11 (Figure 5) by a distance equivalent to thethickness of the sheet 11 and the adhesive 33 that is applied thereto bythe applicator roller 19 and controlled by the scraper 21 plus theextent of the underlapped portions 34 of the edging flanges or flanges35 (Figure 6). It will be apparent, therefore, that at this step in theprocess, the composite sheets 11-25 are brought in adhesive superposedrelation by reason of pressure exerted between the rollers 22-24comprising part of the vertical three stack roller unit 23 and thelaminated sheet with its over-hinged superposed aluminum sheet 25,thereafter passing under an idler roller 36 which is journalled on theframe of the machine (not shown) so that its lower surface is in linewith the upper surface of the idler rollers 29-30-31-252. It should beobserved that the rollers 22-24 are intergeared and power driven intimed relation to the rollers 12-13, so that there is a displacement atthe same linear speed of the vertical sheet 11 and the metallic sheet25.

The superposed metallic sheet 25 must be sufficiently wider than thesaturated felt or roofing sheet 11 to provide an underlap 34 of anydesired width such as but not limited to three-quarters of one inch onone edge or on both edges, and this underlap in conjunction with theflanged edge or edges 35 is provided in the laminated sheets 11-25 bypulling them through a flanging device 37 to be presently described. Theflanging or edging device 37 is disposed between the idler roller ordrum 36 and a power driven roller 39 which is confronted by a superposedroller 40 journalled thereover for contact therewith through the urge ofgravity. The sheets are threaded between therollers 39-40 which aremounted on the frame or adjacent frame of a machine which may be builtin units should commercial practice so dictate;

however, the frame portions upon which the rollers 39-40 are journalledmay comprise an accumulator looper 41 of any suitable or standardconstruction, which in the trade is normally referred to as a festoonlooper. The laminated sheets, after being pulled through theselfaligning flangeror edger 37 which is to be presently described,traverse a plurality of over-spaced rods 42 which are journalled on anendless chain 43 defining an endless rectangular track by means ofcorner sprockets 44 which are power driven in timed relation with thepower driving pulley 39 50 that the laminated sheets would be loopedthereover as at 45 in a manner well known in the art.

Preparatory to being linearly displaced over the power driven roller39and into the accumulator looper 41. the self-aligning fiangingand edgingdevice 37 folds or other wise turns over the overlapping edge portionsof the metallic sheet 25 (Figure 5) to embrace the underside of theasphaltic sheet material 11 to the extent of the underlap 34 (Figure 6)to define the flanged edge or edges 35 thereon. The fianging device 37comprises, in this instance, a substantially rectangular plate 46(Figures 1 and 2) which'is disposed along an inclined plane (Figure 15)for movable support by means of spaced shafts 47-48 attached to theunderside of the plate 46 by means of a plurality of brackets 49-50respectively. mounting shafts 47-48 proiect beyond the side edges of therectangular plate 46 and terminate in circular col lars 51-52 at theirrespective extremities to serve as limit stops therefor. The plate 46 ismounted for free lateral movement on ball-bearing mounted rollers 53-54journalled on brackets 55-56 fixed to the frameof the machine (notshown) to support the uppermost, shaft 47 with its plate 46. To thisend, the rollers 53-54 have a peripheral groove 57 therein. As acomplement the shaft47 is disposed thereunder to. serve as a rollingsupport therefor.

The lower shaft 48 is disposed between confronting pairs of ball-bearingmounted rollers 58-59 and 60-61 mounted in upstanding brackets 62 -63fixed to the channels 64-65 comprising part of a frame to laterally andmovably support the shaft 48, thereby rendering the plate 46 movablelaterally to the left or right by a slight exertion of force created bythe outside edges of the laminatedsheet 11-25 as it passes over theplate 46 between the rollers 36 and 39-40. The laminated sheet 11-25will cause the free floating plate 46 to align therewith and thus insureminimum resistance and uniform flanging or edging as will presentlyappear.

The laminated sheet 11-25 is confined to the surface of the plate 46 bymeans of two series of linearly spaced rollers 66-67, which arejournalled by means of stub shafts anchored at one extremity to theelongated channels 68-69 disposed at the proper distance from the plate46 by means of angular-shaped brackets 70-71 and 72-73 comprising themovable part of hinge supports 74-75 and 76-77 which have pintles orhinge pins 78 extending therethrough (Figures 1 and 13). The hingeplates 74-75 and 76-77 are attached to the rectangular plate 46 by meansof stub fasteners such as the threaded studs 79 (Figures ll and 13).Stub springs 88-81 are anchored between the channel 68-69 and the hingeplate 74-76 in order to normally urge the rollers 66-67 in contact withthe sheets 11-25 for support onthe rectangular plate 46. Elongatedangular members 82-83 are fixed to the side edges of the plate 46proximate to the upper end thereof to retain the flanged laminatedsheets in alignment with the plate 46 as the upward and forward traversethereof continues.

Beneath the angular guides 82-83, there is mounted The , I 6 tinues withall of the parts operating in synchronism and with the sheets 11-25beingfed from the unwinder reels 1026.-

Itmay be desirable from an appearance as well as a practical standpointto provide fine embossings over the top surface ofthe, aluminum sheet27, thereby concealing .an'y imperfections in the thin metallic sheetsurface as well as to produce a more effective joinder between.

thesheets 11-27. To this end, one of the rollers such as the roller 40which confronts the power driven roller 39. may be provided with anembossed surface to impress a complemental embossing on the aluminumsheet This embossing will be sufficiently deep to provide increasedsurface contact with the adhesive disposed between the metallic andfibrous sheet materials. In fact, the embossing may somewhat indent thefibrous material 11 in order to insure an effective binder therebetween;however, this is preferable, though not essential, in the manufacture ofthe composite sheet material.

It should be observed that any suitable dusting substances may beprovided on the surface of the sheet that is notcovered with adhesive inorder to provide for a clean finished composite sheet and to insure theproper feeding thereof through the various rollers described herein.

While we have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of thisinvention, it must be understood that the invention is capable ofconsiderablevariation and modification without departing from the spiritof the invention. We, therefore, do not wish to be limited to theprecise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail ourselvesof such variations and modifications as come within the scope of theappended claims.

We claim:

' l. A method of forming continuously metallic and fibrous laminationsinto a composite sheet which consists in linearly displacing thinmetallic and fibrous sheet materials from separate rolls to a commonpath, applying coating materials to at least one of the confrontingsurfaces of said materials prior to reaching their common path oftraverse preparatory to effecting contact therebetween, then bringingsaid metallic and fibrous materials together under pressure while inmotion along said comedge turning means in the form of a fully twistedpair of plates 84-85 which are fixed by means of brackets 86-87 and88-90 to the plate 46 along both edges thereof to present a lower flatsurfaced portion 91-92 in spaced parallelism with the plate 46, therebyfacilitating the entry of the metal sheet end overlaps 25-25"(Figures 5and 8) thereunder for traverse therealong and gradual turning orfoldingthereunder by means of a. pair of'180" helically twisted centralportions 93-94 provided on the parallel-disposed flange fold plates84-85. There are oppositely disposed flat portions 95-96 that presentthe final fold-over to the overlaps 25*-25 that become the underlaps 34(Figure 6) and thus fully cover and enclose the side edges of theasphaltic sheet 11. As the laminatedsheet 11-25 emerges from the plate46 over the top end thereof, a pair of rollers 97-98 that are journalledon arms 99-100, are pivotally mounted on the frame portion (not shown)to gravitate downwardly against the edge or folded flange surfaces whichare supported on the power driven ,roller 39 (Figure 4) to impart thefinal set to the edge flanges 35 and to provide a smooth surfacethereon. a

With this arrangement ofparts, the laminated sheets 11-25 are edgeflanged responsive to the displacement thereof upwardly along and overthe rectangular plate 46 as it is displaced to and along the accumulatorlooper 41 from which it is wound into rolls of predetermined length andthen cut or severed so that the rolls would be uniform and contain thedesired footage. This operation conmon path, then turning-overlappingparallel edges of said metallic sheet material around and underthe edgeregions of said fibrous sheet material while in motion to defineprotecting edge flanges, retaining in alignment the formed protectingturned edge flanges with the 'overlapping unturned parallel edgesof themetallic sheet material in thereg'ion of the conversion from unturned toturned edge sheet material, and then rolling said combined sheetsinto-rolls of uniform length for convenient handling and storage.

A method of continuously forming metallic and fibrous laminations into acomposite sheet which consists in linearly displacing thin metallic andfibrous sheet materials from separate rolls to a common path, applying apermanently tacky coating adhesive to at least one of the confrontingsurfaces of said materials prior to reaching their common path, theneffecting contact between said confronting sheets under pressure and atelevated temperatures during the linear displacement of said sheets inunison along said common path, then turning overlapping ,7 paralleledges von saidmetallic sheet material around and under the edge regionsof said fibrous sheet material while in motion to define protecting edgeflanges, retainingin alignment the formed protecting turned edgeflanges. with the overlapping unturned parallel edges of the metallicsheet material in the region of the conversion from unturned to turnededge sheet material, and then rolling said combined-sheets into rolls ofuniform length forconvenient handling and storage.

, 3. In an apparatus for continuously flanging sheet materials in acontinuity of displacement therethrou-gh under.

said plate for retaining the edges of the sheet along the.

path of travel in, said'plate, means on saidplate for efiecting thealignment of the unturned laminated sheetiwith theturned portion thereofresponsive to turning the flange during the continuous forward traverseof the laminated sheet including a shaft extending crosswise above theplate (and from which the plate is suspended, rollers mounting the platefor free lateral displacement whereby the plate and shaft are laterallydisplaced'in'alignment with the sheets upon the development of forcebetween the sheets and the said sheet guide, and means to maintain thelaminated sheet under tension in its travel through the flanging andturn-under device.

4. In an apparatus for hanging sheet materials in a continuity ofdisplacement therethrough under tension, the combination with a platefor guiding a continuous sheet of material therethrough along apredetermined path, of fixed elongated sheet guide and edge turningmeans on said plate spaced to substantiallyconform with and to the widthof the sheet that is continuously displacedalong said plate, means onsaid plate for yieldably retaining the edges of the sheet along the pathof travel in said plate, means on said plate for elfecting the alignmentof the laminated sheet during the flanging thereof, and means comprisingside guides in the path of the turned edge portion to align the unturnededges of the laminated sheet immediately prior of the initial turningoperation, means to maintain the laminated sheet under tension in itstravel through the flanging and turn-under device, and means for movablymounting said plate to laterally float to insure self-alignment with thesheet.

5. In an apparatus for flanging sheet materials in a continuity ofdisplacement therethrough under tension, the combination with a platefor guiding a continuous sheet of laminated materials consisting of abase sheet of fibrous material and a thin formable metallic materialadhesively joined to the base sheet and overlapping the edges of saidbase sheet therethrough along a predetermined path, of fixed elongatedand gradually twisted guide and edge turning plates on each side of saidplate and spaced to conform with the width of the base sheet that iscontinuously displaced along said plate, spring mounted roller means onboth sides of said plate for yieldably guiding and retaining the edgesof the sheet along the path of travel in said plate, said guide and edgeturning plates serving to inwardly flange the overlapping edges of saidformable metallic sheet around the edges of the base sheet, cross-railsfixedly mounted to support said plate proximate to the ends thereof, androllers mounted on said plate to frictionally engage said cross-rails tomovably support said frame for self-alignment of the continuouslaminated sheet which is displaced under tension therethrough.

6. In an apparatus for flanging sheet materials in a continuity ofdisplacement therethrough under tension, the combination with a platefor guiding a continuous sheet of laminated materials consisting of abase sheet of fibrous material and a thin formable metallic materialadhesively joined to the base sheet and over-lapping the edges of saidbase sheet therethrough along a predetermined path, of fixed elongatedand gradually twisted guide and edge turning plates on each side of saidplate and spaced to conform with the width of said base sheet that iscontinuously displaced along said plate, spring mounted roller means onboth sides of said plate, said spring mounted roller means includingelongated rigid means on each side of said plate to gang support saidrollers for multiple application against said plate'with the continuoussheet therebetweenfor yieldably guiding and retaining the edges of thesheet along the path of travel in said plate, said guide and edgeturning plates serving to inwardly flange the over-lapping edges of saidformable metallic sheet around the edges of the base sheet, crossrailsfixedly mounted to support said plate proximate to the ends thereof, androllers mounted on said plate to frictionally engage said cross-rails tomovably support said frame for self-alignment of the continuous sheetwhich is displaced under tension therethrough.

7."A method of continuously forming a composite sheet of thin formablemetallic material and a comparatively thick flexible insulating sheetmaterial which comprises the unreeling of said respective sheets fromseparate rolls at substantially the same linear speed so that themetallic sheet has an over-lappingedge in relation to the other sheet,applying an adhesive to the confronting surface of the flexibleinsulating sheet material prior to their displacement in contact witheach other, pressing said sheets together during the linear movementthereof in unison, and then flanging the overlapping edge of saidmetallic sheet to said insulating sheet edge to insure their compositeassociation with a protective edge.

8. A method of continuously forming a composite sheet of thin formablemetallic material and a comparatively thick flexible insulating sheetmaterial which comprises the unreeling of said respective sheets fromseparate rolls at substantially the same linear speed so that themetallic sheet has an overlapping edge in relation to the other sheet,applying an adhesive to the surface of the flexible insulating sheetmaterial which is to confront the formahle metallic material, bringingsaid sheets together for contact during the movement thereof in unison,pressing said sheets together during the linear movement thereof inunison, then flanging the overlapping edge of said metallic sheet tosaid insulating sheet edge to insure.

their composite association with a protective edge, and then smoothingthe flanged edge by applying pressure over the flanged area of saidsheet edge while being linearly displaced in its travel.

9. A method of continuously forming a composite sheet of thin metallicmaterialand a comparatively thick er sheet of asphalt saturated felt byunreeling a wider metallic sheet in superposed relation with a narrowerasphalt saturatedfelt to, present overlapping metallic edges,interposing a permanently tack adhesive between said sheets during thelinear displacement of said sheets under pressure to effect theiradhesion, then turning overlapping parallel edges of' the metallic sheetmaterial around and under the edge regions of the thicker sheet ofasphalt saturated felt to define protecting edge flanges with theoverlapping edges of the thin metallic material before being turned overand under the edges of the asphalt saturated. felt, then smoothing theflanged edges while being linearly displaced in its travel, and thenrolling said composite sheet into rolls of uniform length.

10. A method of forming a composite sheet of thin metallic material anda comparatively thicker sheet of asphalt saturated felt by uureeling ametallic sheet in superposed relation with an asphalt saturated feltsheet to present an overlapping metallic edge, interposing a permanentlytacky adhesive between said sheets during the linear displacement ofsaid sheets between rollers to effect their adhesion, then turning theoverlapping parallel edge of the thin metallic material around and underthe edge region of the thicker sheet of asphaltic saturated felt todefine a protecting edge flange, retaining in alignment saidprotectingedge flange and the opposite edge of the saturated felt withthe unturned overlapping parallel edge of said metallic material and theopposite edge of the saturated felt, smoothing the flanged area of saidsheet edge while it is being linearly displaced in its travel, and thenrolling said composite sheet into rolls of uniform length.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS Casper July 22, 1890 Dixon May 27, 1930 5Smith June 10, 1930 Macan Sept. 8, 1931 Finkeldey June 21, 1932 SonntagFeb. 5, 1935 Whelan Apr. 11, 1939 10 10 Lannan July 11, 1939 WassermanNov. 19, 1940 Smeltzly June 3, 1941 Slavek Dec. 26, 1944 Taber Aug. 28,1945 Fi-gge Mar. 7, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Austria Feb. 25, 1921 GreatBritain June 18, 1940

